Aristotle dreher
Aristotle Dreher (born January 13, 1978) is an American artist, songwriter, musician, and occasional actor. He is known as a founding member and bass player of the band Vaeda.http://www.vaeda.com His unique musical techniques stem from his artistic ingenuity and ability to play many instruments including the guitar and piano. Drawing from childhood influences like Les Claypool, Jeff Ament, and Justin Chancelor, Aristotle has created his own signature sound and a physically dominating, energetic performance style.http://auralfix.mobi/blog/2008/12/radio-j-band-of-the-month-vaeda/ Along with performing in a band Dreher is also a highly skilled visual artist and filmmaker.http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1135929/ He has made acting appearances in film and television. Basses * Ernie Ball Music Man Stingray - Dreher’s main bass for performance and recording is the EBMM 5-string Stingray he traded his Les Paul Standard for before recording State of Nature. The bass’s woods and electronics help create the midrange cut and punch for which he is known. Dreher has been known to use a Schecter Omen-8 string bass (used on the track "All For You" on the album Unsafe at any Speed) Aristotle normally plays Ernie Ball Super Slinky strings (.045, .065, .085, .105, .115) * When performing or recording with his Music Man Stingray, Dreher gets his various tones through his playing style - Tap Harmonics (used n the verse sections of "Fake the Moment"), Tapping (used in the verse sections of "Asleep at the Wheel"), and Lead Guitar techniques (used in parts of "The Bystander Effect") as well as a creative use of a myriad of effects. *Aristotle has also used a 4 string Fender Jazz Bass in his previous band The Bastard Kings of Rock. Amplification *Ampeg SVT IV * Ashdown Mag 300 Effects *Digitech Bass Whammy *Digitech Synth Wah / Envelope Filter *Boss BF-2 Flanger *Boss DD-3 Digital Delay *Boss TR-2 Tremolo *Boss PH-2 Super Phaser *Boss PH-3 Phase Shifter *Boss ODB-3 Overdrive *Boss Dynamic AW-3 Wah *Boss V-Wah *Visual Sound H2O - Liquid Chorus and Echo * Electro-Harmonix Big Muff *Electro-Harmonix Graphic Fuzz Playing Style Aristotle uses many guitar techniques which include using a pick, chords, harmonics, effects, and hammer ons and pull offs. He uses his many effects to create guitar like and often synthesizer types of sonic textures. For example, in the song Asleep at the Wheelhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7afNhbQSut4, he uses a delay and flanger and a two hand tapping technique to create a sound more like a keyboard. In the verses of the song "Fake the Moment," Dreher uses distortion, chorus, flanger and delay along with a melodic pattern of tap harmonics which creates a unique sound similar to that of bells chiming. The main riff of "The Bystander Effect" is bass with distortion, overdrive, wah and delay which also creates a guitar-like solo in the bridge section. He also uses the Digitech whammy pedal in conjunction with tremelo in several spots throughout his live performances to create a disorienting chaotic ambient feeling. His sense of timing, odd signatures and complex rhythms while working with drummer Oliver Williams creates a stark and identifiable rhythm section. Influences Dreher borrows and combines many of the playing techniques and performance styles of the following notable musicians. *Justin Chancellor - Tool *Les Claypool - Primus *Jeff Ament - Pearl Jam *Mike Dirnt - Green Day * Flea - Red Hot Chili Peppers *Caleb Scofield - Cave in *Mike Berardicelli - The Dills References